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So, I don't use this laptop that much. Only when i go out of town. So, while this has been happening a while, it hasn't bothered me enough to look deeply into. But now, I'm on a mission--and failing.

The arrow keys on this freaking computer don't work right. Far as I remember, they never have. It's a Dell Alienware. This is what happens when I press right-arrow for instance (keypad or dedicated arrow, doesn't matter). Sorry for the moire pattern. I couldn't screen-shot because this troubleshooting tool hijacks the keyboard to display what's happening when you press the buttons, so I hadda take a picture with my phone.)



That's from a single press of the right arrow. I don't know what (Key Pressed) means since it's not showing what key was pushed into the windows messaging queue like it does all the others.

Anyone know what the fuck is going on? I've checked the keyboard macros in the Alienware command center (there are none defined). I've googled the shit out of it (with everyone saying "clean your keyboard lol").

On a positive note, all this googling led me to learning about multi-finger gestures on touchpads, and now I hate this touch pad just a little bit less.

Have you checked for updated drivers for the keyboard? Do you have a regular keyboard when you are at home which leave the number lock/scroll lock on?

What happens if you use the on-screen keyboard? The same thing? Or does that work?
If the same thing happens, it's a setting. If the OSK works, it's hardware.
As an alternative to the OSK, try plugging in a USB keyboard.

--Patrick

external keyboards work fine. I don't use the laptop at home. It's spent 95% of it's time sitting in the laptop bag. Never tried the OSK, but I tried it just now and it's fine. I thought maybe there was something about the drivers (which I reinstalled today without success), or maybe a common enough issue for someone to know, because I've seen others ask the question but without a successful answer.

If all the other keyboards are working properly, then it's probably hardware or something proprietary, sorry.

--Patrick

that's what I was afraid of

Have you tried running the keyboard troubleshooter? If that doesn't work, my only alternative advice is to never buy anything from Dell again.

yeah, no problems found lol

edit: Flashed the bios. No help. Incidentally, also discovered the problem happens IN the bios, making the bios unusable, since you need the arrow keys to move around. I'm leaning toward hardware related, also.

If so, could you introduce a software macro to read that combination and return just the arrow key? Clunky workaround but still.

Bubble181 said:

If so, could you introduce a software macro to read that combination and return just the arrow key? Clunky workaround but still.

Click to expand...

it's semi-random, so no ;( It's not always the exact same combination of letters.
BUT! Shortly after my last post, I did all of the windows updates, and one of those was an optional Alienware Firmware update. Then I went to bed. The firmware update seems to have solved the problem!

premature celebration. After being on for a while this morning, it started happening again. So it's likely some kind of short caused by either heat or the pressure of my wrists on the lower portion of the laptop. I guess the next move is to dissassemble and reseat everything.

...or y'know, get a new laptop.
(or replace the keyboard, I guess)

--Patrick

This laptop may be 2-3 years old by the numbers, but it's only probably got 100 actual hours used on it. I'm not replacing it. I'd rather schlep around a spare keyboard.